Thicker Than Water
by WhiteParadigma
Summary: My first TMNT fanfic that happens before the CG movie.
1. Wrong End of a Bullet

Okay so this is a story that I've been working on for a while. It's my first TMNT fanfic which takes place before the CG Movie. Enjoy the Angsty family drama action! I don't own anything!

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**Thicker Than Water**

"Blessed is the servant who loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and an be of service to him. And blessed is he who loves his brother as well when he is afar off as when he is by his side, and who would say nothing behind his back he might not, in love, say before his face."

~St Francis of Assisi

Chapter 1: Wrong End of a Bullet

"Stop being such a hothead, Raph." Leo growled, "You almost got Donnie KILLED!"

"Way to blow things out of proportion again, Leo." Raph growled, "Don was just fine."

Huffing, Leo stated, "Yeah, thank God Mikey was there to fix your mistake."

The sewers echoed with their onslaught, and the two youngest exchanged worried glances. They were walking home from a simple Purple Dragon rumble at the docks. Successfully the brothers stopped another illegal shipment of guns and drugs. Now the police were there, and the brothers walked away from their victory.

Doing what he did best, Don worked on the ship's engine to create sabotage. Raph was ordered to watch Don's back while he worked, but the red banded brother was sucker punched by some punk. With his pride bruised and his rage ignited, Raph left Donnie to give chase to the punk about fifty feet away from the ship. Gunfire sparked around Donnie and the engine, and he feared the bullets would hit the gas tank.

Thankfully Mikey somersaulted to Donnie's aid. His swinging numb chucks resulted in the end of the danger. Still Raph followed his quarry well away from the heart of the battle, and Leo watched it all.

Now they were arguing, yet again. Don sighed in pain as he covered the wound only he and Mikey were aware of. If Leo knew Don was injured because of a Raph mistake, he would blow into full rage on Raph. No one wanted that.

Still, it was bleeding pretty badly even with the makeshift bandage Donnie created with a punk's discarded coat and a trash bag. Every other step, Mikey's eyes shifted to Don's arm then to his face. Don appreciated the concern, but if they could avoid further conflict; Donnie was more than tempted by the offer.

"Oesday urthay?" Mikey asked in whispered pig Latin. It was a funny hobby of the younger brothers that both elders didn't share.

Don shock his head, "Otnay adbay."

Okay, Don rationalized, that was a lie. His arm was in fire, and he was doing his best not to hiss while breathing. It wasn't the first time receiving a bullet wound, nor would it be the last. Despite all this, it hurt like hell. He needed to get to the lair now.

"What's taking you guys so long?" Leo demanded impatiently a few yards ahead. Worriedly, Mikey looked to Don for permission to tell them.

Shaking his head, Don shouted back, "Sorry, Leo. We're coming!" Concentrate on breathing and get home. Don't think about that pain threataning to shred your arm apart.

Darn fuzzy vision, Don cursed to himself. Thankfully they were close to home, and the two passionate brothers were lost in another argument. Mikey was another story though. Any moment Mikey would have Don slung over his shoulder, yelling for Leo, or worse…saying those two words.

Donnie's hurt.

The lair! Oh by the powers that be, Don was happy. Walking well on his own, Don said nothing and nearly ran to his lab. Mikey followed, and no one was the wiser.

"For my smartest brother, Donnie." Mikey cursed as he ran to the first aid kid, "you can act so stupid sometimes."

"Known to happen," Don laughed between clenched teeth, but Mikey didn't laugh. Call the police! Don made a joke and Mikey was _not_ laughing; not even entertaining a smile.

Hissing, Don removed the tightly wound shirt and plastic, black sack from his fore arm, and Mikey almost dropped the white box. Blood everywhere, and that was no exaggeration. The wound was little- deep but little, but he was hit at least fifteen minutes ago.

"M-maybe Leo…" Mikey grew a few shades pale as he stammered.

Shaking his head, Don smiled, "I've had worse. Let's not give Leo more reasons to yell tonight, right? I'll do the work, Mikey. You just need to be here to finish the work in case I pass out."

"How comforting," Mikey huffed. "I'll do it, Donnie. I've done this before remember. I'm just worried about you."

Don breathed in knowing there wasn't much time before his wooziness would overtake consciousness. Mikey opened the box and laid out the surgical instruments. Thanks to a month of hard study and a lot of real situations, all brothers were skilled at first aid. They had to be.

After giving Donnie two Suxamethonium chloride tablets, Mikey began to work. Washing his brother's arm with alcohol, Mikey watched Don buck in the chair and almost scream. Okay, new plan. Mikey took Donnie's pillow of the queen size bed and unsheathed it from the pillowcase. Using the light blue pillowcase, Mikey made Donnie a gag with two purposes.

Back to work, Mikey washed the scalpel and tweezers with the rubbing alcohol. After examining the wound, Mikey breathed. Not too deep that they had to cut anymore. Don was now loosing conciseness.

"Sorry…Mike…" Don whispered as his head nearly snapped back. Checking the pulse below the thumb, Mikey breathed. So far so good.

Picking the tweezers, Mikey used his fingers to open the wound a little more. Blood spurted from the wound and dripped to the forming pool below.

"One…two…three…" Mikey psychological prepared for it, and punched the tweezers into the dark crimson hole. There was a definite clank where metal hit the bullet, and Mikey was thankful not to have to search. He had to search for the bullet last week in Raph's leg, and it took fifteen minutes and fifteen tries.

Easily, too easily, Mikey plucked the .44 Magnum bullet from his brother's flesh. After checking Donnie's vitals again, Mikey quickly wrapped the arm tightly in white bandages.

"Not really camouflage, Donnie-boy." Mikey sighed, "How are you going to hide this from the others? You can really say you slipped and fell on a stake knife, can you?" Looking at Donnie's still closed eyes, Mikey laughed, "What? Giving me the silent treatment? How rude!"

After cleaning up the blood and instruments, Mikey had to sling Don from the chair softly to the bed. Yawning, Mikey noted he was not only tired but heavily exhausted.

"What I wouldn't do for you guys." Mikey muttered sitting on the edge of the bed. Thankfully the whole surgery lasted only twenty undisturbed minutes. That was odd, Mikey noted. Where were the others?

As if waiting for that thought to cross Mikey's mind, Raph opened the door, and slammed it behind him. Glaring up at him, Mikey said, "Simply shutting the door is just as effected, Raphie."

"Drop it, Mikey. Fearless is talking to Splinter right now." Raph glared at the door as if it was said fearless leader. Then looking down at the bed. "What's with Don?"

"Sorry, the psychologist is out. Would you like to leave a message?" Mikey laughed.

Raph's eyes opened just a little more seeing the bandage hand resting on the blue blanket tucked around Don's chest.

"What happened?" Raph demanded the younger.

Mikey looked down at Donnie, and answered, "You owe Don a beer or at least ten bucks, dude. He just took a bullet for you, and I mean that literally."

"Whoa! Don got SHOT!"

"Yes!" Mikey barked back. "Yelling like that will ruin the great professor's plan."

"Plan?"

Rolling his eyes, Mikey sighed, "Don got shot tonight while sabotaging the ship's engine. This happened after you LEFT HIM! While Leo was chewing you out, Don was hiding his wound so you wouldn't be in more trouble than you already are. I had to play doctor and gag him so he wouldn't scream and give it all away."

Raph stood there blinking, and a guilty growl erupted from his throat. He looked directly at Donnie's sleeping face. "Idiot."

"Oh Raphael, you have such an eloquent way of showing your appreciation. Tell me, is there anything else you'll need?" Holding up the discarded, bloody bullet, Mikey asked sarcastically. "Should I make this into a necklace?"

Ignoring Mikey, Raph asked. "How's he suppose to hide that." He pointed to the injured arm in question.

"Don't know." Mikey said, "He didn't give a detailed, step-by-step plan while he was bleeding to death. How rude, huh?"

"I screwed up…didn't I?" Raph muttered. Finally he looked as guilty as the situation called for.

Mikey sighed. Raph would either angrily deny accusations or accept his guilt to high levels of self-loathing. There was no midpoint. Leaning a little, Mikey pulled Raph's arm. "Why don't you tell him yourself?"

Raph sat down in front of Mikey on the edge of the bed. "Mike, Donnie's knocked out with SD, right?"

Nodding, Mikey rested his head on Raph's shoulder. "Yeah, but remember that time when Leo was beat-up by the Shredder and we didn't know if he would make it. We took turns talking to him, right?"

Raph laughed- genuine and real. "You oddball."

Before Raph could speak one word to his unconscious brother, Leo opened the lab door completing the turtle clan. Raph and Leo glared at each other, and the Hallmark moment went down the sewer.

Leo's glare left Raph and loomed over Donnie's arm. Oh…shell, Mikey cursed.

"What happened?" Leo demanded. His voice held that leadership tone too well that Mikey wondered if he should salute him before answered. Well, what could he say. Um…Donnie forgot he had a bullet lodged in his arm until he was conveniently inside the lab?

"Donnie got shot." Raph stood and answered firmly, and Mikey jumped. Raph couldn't have put it more bluntly, and Leo's eyes narrowed. Like a timber box, Donnie's plan went to the flames.

Mikey stood, "Before you guys go into another shouting match, why don't you do it away from the injured, okay? Don wasn't going to show his arm because he knew you guys would just fight more. He was trying to prevent more fighting." Mikey was surprised at how calm he was acting between his two eldest brothers. There would be need for a victory dance later.

"Master Splinter needs to know." Leo said slowly, "I'm not going to yell at Raph anymore, Mikey." Point for Leo. "but" he looked at Raph, "this is all your fault." Foul on Leo.

Raph grimly growled, "I know that, Leo. How many times do I have to apologize?"

"Until you learn your lesson."

"And what lesson would that be again, Fearless? You've only told me half a million times by now."

"Obviously, it's not getting through that thick skull of yours!"

"I'll show who has a thick skull!"

Mikey sighed, sitting next to the unconscious turtle who hid a bullet to prevent what was happening.


	2. How to Say Goodbye

Did I mention I own nothing? Okay, on with the show!

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Chapter 2: How to Say Goodbye

Don woke up with a hangover the size of the Empire State Building and twice as pointy. It was dark, but Don woke with a realization. Something was wrong. It was way to quiet with a haunting feeling of bad news, and was…was that Mikey crying?

"M-mikey? Leo? Raph?" Don breathed feeling like floating, and his mouth was so dry. He had another nightmare from the time he visited the future. Each brother died before his eyes, and no matter how hard or how loud he screamed their names they didn't come back.

Was the dream real? He began to panic.

"Don! Donnie, calm down. We're here. We're here." Leo's voice broke through the darkness, and Don took a breath. Everything was so fuzzy and unreal like watching the world through a blizzard. Leo took Don's hand gently.

"My son." Master Splinter's furry hand took the other hand that wasn't held by Leo. "You are home safe with your family. For three days you have battled with a sever fever, but it seems to have broken. We have waited long for your to awake. Leonardo wishes to tell you something."

In the distance, perhaps another room, were the voices of Don's other brothers. Mikey was obviously upset, and Raph was doing his best to console him. The conversation was lost in the mutter and fuzz.

Vision began to clear as Don could actually see the faces of Splinter and Leo in the dimness of his room. The light came from Mikey's nightlight, but Don was in his lab/bedroom.

Turning to his brother, Don was surprised to see tears? Leo was crying? But…Leo never cries; only when things are bad ,and there's no good news. Yet his eyes were set firm despite those tears. Splinter steeped back giving Leo and Don privacy.

Summing up strength, Leo whispered, "Donnie…I'm leaving."

"Leaving?" Donnie asked; his voice sounding so young due to the drugs. So, this is what seemed wrong. This wasn't right. "Where are you going, Leo?"

Leo breathed, "Away. Master Splinter is sending me on a training mission to South America."

"Yeah" Donnie laughed, "And Raph is going to join the ballet and Mikey's burned all his comic books."

Leo's eyes grew dark, "I'm serious, Donatello."

No. Don's mind instantly denied it. This types of things didn't happen. His brothers didn't leave; they were going to grow old and die together. It felt like Leo was dying and leaving for an untouchable hospital. It just didn't happen. It couldn't.

His voice was oddly strong as he asked, "Why?"

"It's…complicated." Leo's eyes turned away.

Don's life biography was titled Complicated. He thought in complicated terms and theories that the normal American wouldn't touch. Leo couldn't just sweep this under that term, and Don wouldn't allow that.

Trying to sit up, Don was stopped by Leo's firm hands. "Don, you're not well enough to stand on your own."

"To hell with my condition." Don growled and hissed. Don cursing had amazing effects on his brothers, and Leo backed away. Leaning against the wall, Don glared. "Now, explain it to me, Leonardo. Why are you leaving for South Africa?"

Leo opened his mouth as if to say something. Then stopped for a reason or another. "I'm…just leaving Donnie. I'll be back someday; when Splinter thinks I'm ready."

The purple clad brother didn't want to hear that. If Leo was leaving he wanted a date. Hell, he didn't want Leo to leave to begin with.

Then a thought. Looking down at his own bandaged arm, Donnie grimiest. "It wasn't because of…"

But Leo wouldn't let Don finish. "No!" He said firmly taking the hand in question. "No, Don. It's…it's a lot of things."

"Then why can't you tell me?" He demanded.

"Because that would take a lifetime."

"Okay…when?"

"Tonight. I wanted to wait for you to wake up…to say goodbye."

The gloom was pressing on Don's chest, or was that just the remnants of the fever. Smiling, Don placed his hand on Leo's shoulder. "It's not like it's forever, right?"

"Right." Leo smiled a small smile that left too much room for doubt. "I'm sorry, Donnie."

Puzzled, Don asked, "For what?" Then he saw Leo's eyes avoiding his, and that frown of guilt appeared. "Leo, it wasn't your fault. None of this is, okay?"

"Promise me you'll watch over the others." Leo looked so sadly desperate.

"Of coarse I will." The atmosphere there was not improving, so Don silently accepted this. "We'll be fine, Leo, so don't worry." The tightness in Donnie's lungs erupted into a coughing fit that robbed him of speech. Leaning forward, Don rested against Leo's chest until his body relaxed from the convolutions. When he stopped coughing however, Don was hearing chocked sobs while strong arms kept him against a strong plastron.

His big brother, the leader of them all, was leaving.

"I promise." Don whispered, wrapping his own arms around Leo's shell. "But you have to promise not to forget about us."

"I promise."

Leo left his ill brother with a head low. Splinter followed after him, and said something about Donatello's condition improving so there was no need to worry, my son. Mikey and Raph sat on the sofa. The tears were gone from the youngest eyes, but when both looked up to see Leo; they threatened to come again.

It was time to leave.

Raph and Mikey stood knowing this had to happen but the reasons seemed so stupid to Raph. Splinter explained it to him at Donnie's beside last night, and Raph took it in. Taking in information doesn't mean you have to accept the reasons.

Mikey's farewell embrace seemed to last the longest. This would be the first time they would separated from each other because of indifference, because their father ordered it.

This ordeal would make Leo a better leader. He would find himself somewhere in the depths of the Amazon, and they would all be a better team, a better band of brothers. Then why, Raph wondered as he watched Leo kiss Mickey's forehead, did it seem that this was an idea to break up the team for good.

"Well…" Leo released Mikey, turning to Raph. Both were unsure of how to do this; how do you say goodbye?

Could they stop this, Raph wondered. Leo was a simply following another Splinter's command without thinking, but it seemed deeper than that.

"You're the leader now." Leo nodded at this.

Raph answered this with a simple, "Take care of yourself."

"Right. Take care of the others for me."

"I will."

With that, Leo was gone.


	3. Under New Management

Hey ya'll! Thanks for the awesome reviews! Anyway, enjoy!

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Chapter 3: Under New Management

New York, home, disappeared behind him, and he looked back. In the cargo plane, Leo turned from the small window as the sun retreated to the West. Piles of boxes and suitcases gave Leo little free room, so he sat silently on a crate away from the engine's roar.

He had company, thankfully. His human friend smiled at him as she left the pilot. Shutting the pilot's door, she walked back to the cargo hold. April O'Neil was an old friend to Leo's family, and she not only offered to take Leo to South America on her next archeological dig. She also offered to keep an eye on him while there.

The tall redhead sat across from her friend, and smiled. "We'll be landing at Brasília by tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, April. We…I really appreciate it." Leo said with a smile, but his face was far from anything joyful.

"So" April searched for a topic of conversation, "Do you know where you're going?"

Sighing, he answered, "Not really." Leo reached for his duffle bag and zipped it open. Reaching in, Leo pulled out a tattered, hand drawn map that was surprisingly accurate and detailed. "Master Splinter gave me this map that Master Yoshi drew while they both were hiding from the Shredder in South America. He kept talking about a small, hospitable village in the jungle surrounded by Mayan ruins. There's a temple near the mountain Pico da Neblina."

"That's a pretty far trip from Brasília." April said solemnly. "Hay, I'll take you to that village at the summit."

"April, I can't ask you that. You've already done so much already."

Waving her hand, she smirked, "It's to trouble at all, Leo. Actually I've always wanted to see those ruins."

"What about your proprietor, Max Winters?"

"He hasn't given me exact locations of what he's looking for." April said, "He's only given be vague descriptions of stone generals. He told me he's a collector of such items, and has even said that there's five in the series. Already he's found one. He even says that they're scattered around South and Central America. It wouldn't hurt to start searching there."

Leo nodded, "I wouldn't mind the company for a while. I hope it doesn't take long to find whatever it is I'm suppose to learn."

"Did Splinter give you a time limit?"

"No, he didn't. He actually told me to take my time; as long as I needed. Although I'm sure he doesn't want me home within a few months. He made…that clear."

This was a wise time to change the subject, April noted. "So…do you know what you've suppose to look for?"

"No." Leo laughed dryly. "I don't. He says this is more like a spiritual journey of sorts. So, when are you going back to New York?"

April answered, "Three weeks. Hopefully Casey cleans up the apparent by then."

Nodding, Leo asked smiling, "So, how is your…relationship."

"Good." April asked with no real enthusiasm. "I'm adjusting to him, and he's just…being Casey."

"You shouldn't change for the ones you love." Leo said firmly.

April looked at Leo and said, "Forgive my bluntness, Leo, but isn't that exactly what you're doing?"

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"WHAT?" Don couldn't stop his semi-yelled shock. He knelt there, in front of his father when Splinter delivered Don's new role in the family.

Leader.

"You will lead your brothers in Leonardo's absence." Splinter repeated as his stern gaze looked down at his son.

Don finally found his voice, even if it was less than strong. "Father, forgive me, but I…" Now, he lost his voice again. Ah, there it was! "But…Raphael is a better leader than me, and he's older than me."

"He will understand." Splinter smiled, and Don wished for all jet fuel at NASA to believe Splinter. Gnawing on his bottom lip, Don knew otherwise. Raph would be furious.

"Why?" Or better question would be; "why not Raph?"

"Each of us have a leadership ability. Raph has leaded this team during Leonardo's absence before. I only wish to test you own ability to lead."

Don muttered in his brain, _"What ability? I'm the 'smart one' 'the psychologist.' I don't lead. I follow quietly until someone asks for my opinion on something. I'm normally the one being saved instead of doing the saving. I can't do this, Master. I…can't lead. I'm not Leo."_

Instead of saying these things, Don swallowed and breathed. "Yes…father."

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"What do you think is taking so long?" Mickey yawned from the sofa.

Raph shrugged, "Don't know. But something doesn't feel right."

Okay, so something obviously didn't feel right, but what was it, Raph wondered. He was pacing from random place to another random place in the living room. Mikey sat on the sofa, playing Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War on the Play Station 2 that Don just finished that morning. Mikey wasn't much 'into' combat, aerial simulated games, but Raph was.

"Man! No matter how many times I play this, Chopper still dies?" Mikey groaned as he watched the depressing video clip of the main character's right-winged man crash into the soccer field.

Raph answered, "That's life, I guess."

"Life would have a way for me to save Chopper." Mikey growled at the screen.

"No it wouldn't. You can restart the game and try, but you life doesn't have a restart button. It's already determined that he would die."

Mikey blinked and turned his head to his brother. "Whoa, that's deep, Raphie. Taking philosophy lessons from Leo, or something?"

Raph sighed hearing Leo's name. It was only a week since their Fearless Leader left, and things were still…awkward at best. It just wasn't the same. The lair was empty and depressing, and Splinter had ordered them to limit their surface visits to April and Casey's apartment. April was still with Leo somewhere south, and when Casey wasn't working; he slept in on the sofa like a bum.

Raph's energy had no outlet, and he was going stir-crazy! Something had to happen before Raph resorted to reading. Raph shuddered at the thought.

Just at that moment, Splinter's door slid, and in walked a very…odd looking Donatello followed by his master. It wasn't depressed sadness in Don's eyes; only a misplaced worry. Mikey and Raph instantly saw Don's uneasiness.

"Raphael, Michelangelo. Donatello has something to tell you."

"Oh crud." Raph panicked. Was Splinter sending another brother on a personal vacation? First Leo, now Donnie?

Mikey and Raph waited patiently for Don to tell them. There seemed to be a wave of hesitation and uneasiness in Don's chi. His eyes never meet his brothers'. It was like Don was having a staring contest with the floor and was losing.

"Uh…M-master Splinter has…a-asked me to be leader." Donnie stuttered.

Raph blinked. Mikey blinked. The floor 'blinked.' Silence filled the lair to uncomfortable magnitude, and the atmosphere dared anyone to say anything. All that played in the background was the high-tensed music from Mikey's game.

Raph huffed at this before turning and walking to the exit. "I…I have to get some air."

No one stopped him. His brothers wouldn't dare, and Master Splinter knowingly let him. Saying nothing, the ninja master turned, walked into his room, and closed the door. This left Mikey and Donnie.

Time to be supportive, Mikey grimiest to himself. "Wow, dude. That's…"

He was interrupted with Don's attack on the wall, with his injured arm. Mickey grimiest as Don painfully hissed and cradled the still bandaged arm.

Sighing, Mikey jumped over the sofa, and came to Don's side. "Let me see." Don showed his arm, and just like Mikey guessed, Don's theatrical punch of anger had reopened the wound. Blood seeped through the bandage.

"Sorry." Don muttered.

Mikey grinned, "Hey, it's okay! Okay, so it's not okay, but you know what I mean."

Don laughed in a not-so-sane way. "Yeah, I know."

"Well…" Mikey gave a forceful cough. "How do you feel, and I don't mean the arm."

Don sighed, "How am I supposed to feel is the question."

"Right." Mikey grimiest again, "Hay, look at it this way, Don. It's not a permanent! And we'll both support you. Raph just needed to get some air. You know him, give him a few minutes and he'll calm down."

Don laughed, "When did you become so logical?"

"It's a gift. Now, let's watch a movie. Nothing is more logical than some much needed vegetable time."

* * *

Sock wouldn't even being to describe his feelings. Outrage? That was for another time. He just didn't want to think about anything but about the fresh air in his lungs, and the feeling of running from rooftop to rooftop. Freedom.

In the lair, there wasn't room to feel so free and open. There just walls, ceiling, floor, and darkness.

After a few minutes of just aimlessly running, Raph stopped for a breather. Panting, Raph leaned against a brick wall. Now was the time to think, but where to begin?

Looking up to the smog covered sky, Raph watched a helicopter fly by. Light from the city illuminated the clouds above; crating a false sense of light from the sky. It was just a reflection.

That's what Raph felt like his life was. A reflection of what it used to be. A sad pathetic reflection at that. Everyone seemed to be adjusting well to Leo's departure but him. Everyone seemed to be okay with Don's new position but him. Everyone was happy with life but him.

That's what made Raph mad. Not that Don was leader now; there would be time to feel something about that later. Don had his lab. Mikey had his comics and bad jokes. Master Splinter had his peace of mind. Raph was left out in the open without a direction or distraction.

A presents Raph felt there on the rooftop. Snapping from his angst, Raph stood with sias drawn. However, the chi of this person was friendly, even familiar.

"I'm not in the mood, Mikey." Raph muttered as he replaced his weapons in his belt.

Casey, not Mikey, steeped out of the shadows with a bat in hand. "Raph? What the hell are you doing, man! You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Casey? What are you doing here?" Raph asked.

"Uh…because it's my roof." The tall human relaxed his grip on the wooden baseball bat. Dressed in grungy pajamas, Casey looked like he just woke up with scraggily hair.

Raph laughed, "Whoa, man. Wake up on the wrong end of the sofa?"

"Very funny." Casey yawned. "Now, what's up, Raph?"

Raph sighed, turning from Casey. "Nothing. Sorry for bothering you."

"Whoa, man. Don't leave. I ain't mad; just surprised. I haven't seen you in a week or so."

Raph turned, "Things are…complicated at home right now."

"Complicated." Casey scoffed, "That's your family new buzz word or something? Dude, who's life isn't complicated?"

"Good point." Raph relaxed, "Maybe I should say…more complicated. Master Splinter just made Don leader."

"Leader? Over you, but…ain't you…"

"Older." Raph finished for him, "Stronger. Leader material. Take your pick."

"Did Don accept it?"

"Didn't have a choice, I guess. He's like Leo that way. Always obeying father to the letter." Raph scoffed, "And they say he's the smart one."

"Ain't you being hard on the guy?" Casey asked, "Did you ask him if he wanted to the position as leader."

"No." Raph answered truthfully, "I walked away when he told us. I'm not…mad or anything. Just confused. Why him of all people?"

"Hay, that's harsh."

"Don told everyone that he ain't leadership material." Raph said, "He's happy being the quiet geek. Don's got some awesome attributes that I wish Leo could learn, like listening and understanding. But Don hesitates and hates making spontaneous choices."

"Are you jealous?"

Raph stopped at this. Sure the signs and implications where there, but Raph hadn't answered that question yet. With Don or Leo. Wasn't that obvious by now? What rubbed against Raph's shell is now his _younger_ brother was his leader.

"Yeah…I am."


End file.
